Handlebar grips have been utilized on the ends of handlebars for decades. These grips are typically made of a soft polymer that both improves a users' ability to grasp the handlebars and cushions the hand against the effect of vibrations and sudden impacts.
The handlebar grips are preferably made of anti-skid, relatively elastic and low durometer polymer such as rubber or urethane to enhance the cushioning effects. In off-road cycling, whether self-propelled, as in mountain biking, or powered by an internal combustion engine, as in a motorcycle, or riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), the rider tends to grip the handle bars tightly for balance and control. Under competitive conditions, the rider may need to enhance his/her grip for prolonged periods of time while traversing difficult terrain. Such tight gripping by the rider tends to cause shocks to be transferred to the rider's hands, wrists, forearms and related extremities. Over a period of time, these various forces can induce fatigue, and fatigue can compromise riding enjoyment and competitive results in racing.
By creating a torsional, rotational, linear and axial cushioning effect on the handlebar the Shock Absorbing Grip Assembly insure that the riders hands, wrists, forearms and related extremities are relieved from the shocks incurred during prolonged activity.
Although attempts have been made to provide handle-bar grips that are comfortable to use, ones that are too-soft do not provide adequate motion control. Those that provide good motion control tend to be too-stiff to be comfortable. Thus, there is a need for a handle bar grip that is comfortable to use, that provides precise motion control, that has good endurance, and that can be readily retro-fitted on existing handle bars.
Numerous innovations for the handlebar grip have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present design as hereinafter contrasted. The following is a summary of those prior art patents most relevant to this application at hand, as well as a description outlining the difference between the features of the Shock Absorbing Grip Assembly and the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,013,533 of Wayne R. Lumpkin describes a grip for a cycle that includes a cylindrical liner extending along a liner axis between a first and a second end. The cylindrical liner has at least two elongate slots extending axially along a lengthwise portion of the cylindrical liner, each elongate slot overlapping a lengthwise part of another elongate slot, the overlapping elongate slots being radially offset. An over molding overlies a lengthwise of the cylindrical liner. The elongate slots are preferably disposed in a first set of at least two elongate slots extending along a first axial line in the liner and a second set of at least two elongate slots extending along a second axial line in the liner. The first and second axial lines are radially offset and the first set of elongate slots overlaps the second set of elongate slots. A first elongate slot may intercept a first end of the cylindrical liner. A compression member is provided in operative association with a circumference of an axial segment of the cylindrical liner. The axial segment includes at least a lengthwise portion of the first elongate slot. The compression member is operable between a relaxed state not compressing the axial segment and a compression segment compressing the axial segment about its circumference. The axial segment is preferably proximate the first end of the cylindrical liner.
This patent describes a grip with a cylindrical liner that has at least two elongate slots extending axially along a lengthwise portion of the cylindrical liner, each elongate slot overlapping a lengthwise part of another elongate slot, the overlapping elongate slots being radially offset. This patent does not use the elastomeric isolator members to isolate the grip portion from the handle bar giving the secure but floating sensation.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,484,806 of Gregory S. Rarick describes an ergonomic hand grip assembly. The assembly includes an outer resilient cover having an open proximal end surrounded by an annular flange. The cover is preferably molded of elastomeric material, such as rubber, that provides a satisfactory co-efficient of friction with respect to the palm of a human hand when gripped adjacent the cover flange. The elastomeric material is of conventional rubber-like composition known in art for use on outdoor equipment having a handle bar control member. The control member has a free end portion which is moveable by a user's hand to provide control motion inputs to a vehicle and to assist the vehicle rider in maintaining balance while riding the vehicle.
This patent describes an ergonomic hand grip assembly but does not use the elastomeric isolator members to isolate the grip portion from the handle bar giving the secure but floating sensation.
None of these previous efforts, however, provides the benefits attendant with the Shock Absorbing Grip Assembly. The present design achieves its intended purposes, objects and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing readily available materials.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the Shock Absorbing Grip Assembly in detail, it is to be understood that the design is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings.